JP6811127B2 - Actuator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an actuator.

When charging a storage battery mounted on a vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, the charging connector of the charging cable is attached to the power receiving connector provided on the vehicle body to supply power to the storage battery from the charging cable. Normally, the power receiving connector side is provided with a lock mechanism for preventing the charging connector from being disconnected from the power receiving connector.

Some locking mechanisms include a hook provided at the tip of the charging connector, an engaging protrusion formed at the tip of the power receiving connector, and an actuator provided above the power receiving connector ( For example, see Patent Document 1).

The actuator includes a housing in which the drive mechanism is housed and a lock pin protruding from the front surface of the housing. The lock pin can be moved back and forth with respect to the housing (that is, the direction in which the charging connector is inserted and removed).

In the lock mechanism described above, as the charging connector is inserted into the power receiving connector, the hook in contact with the engaging protrusion tilts upward. When the hook gets over the engaging protrusion, it tilts downward and the hook and the engaging protrusion are engaged with each other. Then, the lock pin advances with respect to the housing, and the front portion of the lock pin is arranged above the hook of the charging connector. As a result, the tilt of the hook is regulated by the lock pin, and the hook is fixed in a state of being engaged with the engaging projection of the power receiving connector, so that the charging connector can be prevented from coming off from the power receiving connector during power supply.

Further, in the housing described above, in order to suppress an increase in atmospheric pressure due to heat generation of the electric motor and electronic components constituting the drive mechanism, air holes for ventilating the inside and outside of the housing are formed, and a filter covering the air holes is formed. Is placed. In order to prevent the grease (lubricant) applied to the gears that make up the drive mechanism from flowing into the mesh of the filter and blocking it, a labyrinth-shaped ventilation is provided between the space where the gears are housed and the air holes. The road is formed. As a result, it is possible to prevent grease from scattering on the air holes and the filter and blocking the mesh of the filter.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-110691

In the conventional housing described above, a labyrinth shape is formed in the vicinity of the air holes to prevent grease from scattering to the air holes and the filter, so that the size of the actuator is increased by that amount. There is. Further, when the labyrinth shape is formed, there is a problem that the structure of the housing becomes complicated and the cost of the molding mold of the housing increases.

An object of the present invention is to provide an actuator capable of solving the above-mentioned problems, reducing the size as compared with the conventional one, and having a simple structure.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is an actuator including a drive mechanism including a drive transmission member including an electric motor and a gear, and a housing for accommodating the drive mechanism. The housing includes a bottom portion and a housing . A ceiling portion, a peripheral wall portion that surrounds the bottom portion and the ceiling portion in the circumferential direction, a central wall that separates the electric motor and the drive transmission member, a motor box that houses the electric motor, and the drive transmission member are housed. The motor box also has a gear box filled with a lubricant, and the motor box has a part of the central wall, a part of the peripheral wall portion of the housing, and the ceiling portion on one side of the central wall. The gearbox is configured to include a part of the center wall and a part of the bottom portion, and the gearbox is on the other side of the central wall, the center wall, a part of the peripheral wall portion of the housing, and the ceiling portion. The central wall serves as a scattering prevention wall for preventing the lubricant from scattering to the electric motor, and the motor box includes a part of the above and a part of the bottom portion. The formed air holes include a filter that covers the air holes, and are formed in any of the ceiling portion of the housing corresponding to the motor box, the bottom portion of the housing, and the peripheral wall portion of the housing.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the lubricant from scattering on the air holes and the filter without separately providing the labyrinth shape. As a result, the size of the actuator can be reduced and the structure can be simplified.
In addition, the air warmed by the electric motor can be quickly discharged to the outside. As a result, the heat dissipation effect of the electric motor is improved.

The air holes are preferably formed in the assembling direction of the electric motor.

In this way, the electric motor and the filter can be assembled to the housing from the same direction. As a result, the assembling property of the electric motor and the filter is improved.

The housing is preferably composed of a lower housing lower and an upper housing upper, and the air holes are preferably formed in the assembling direction of the housing lower and the housing upper.

In this way, since air holes are formed in the molding / removing directions of the molding mold for molding the housing lower and the housing upper, the structure of the molding mold of the housing can be simplified. This makes it possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the molding die.

The actuator according to the present invention can be made smaller in size and has a simpler structure than the conventional actuator.

It is a side view which showed the usage embodiment of the actuator which concerns on embodiment of this invention. A part of the power receiving connector and the charging connector is shown as a cross-sectional view. It is an exploded perspective view which showed the lock mechanism and its peripheral part which concerns on embodiment. It is an exploded perspective view of the actuator which concerns on embodiment. It is the figure which observed the housing lower of the actuator which concerns on embodiment from the lower oblique side. It is a perspective view which showed the inside of the actuator which concerns on embodiment. It is a top view which showed the inside of the actuator which concerns on embodiment. It is a perspective view of a cam member. It is a figure which showed the regulation state of the actuator which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which showed the state which the charging connector was forcibly pulled out in the regulated state of the actuator which concerns on embodiment. It is the figure which observed the housing lower of the actuator which concerns on embodiment from above obliquely. It is the figure which observed the housing upper of the actuator which concerns on embodiment from the lower oblique side. It is the figure which observed the housing lower (the state which attached the moisture-permeable waterproof material) of the actuator which concerns on embodiment from the upper oblique view. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 12 in a state where the housing upper is assembled to the housing lower.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. In the following description, "up and down", "front and back", and "left and right" of the actuator 10 are set for convenience in explaining the structure of the actuator 10, and do not limit the orientation of the actuator 10. ..

<Structure of actuator of this embodiment>
As shown in FIG. 1, the actuator 10 of the present embodiment constitutes a lock mechanism 5 mounted on a charging port 2a of a vehicle 1 such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. When charging the storage battery (not shown) mounted on the vehicle 1, the lock mechanism 5 may be referred to as a charging connector 4 (sometimes called a "charging gun") from a power receiving connector 3 (sometimes called an "inlet"). ) Is prevented from coming off.

The power receiving connector 3 is electrically connected to a storage battery (not shown) via a cable (not shown). The charging connector 4 is electrically connected to a charging device (not shown) such as a charging station via a charging cable 4d. The charging port 2a is a space for accommodating the tip end portion of the power receiving connector 3, and is formed at a specific position (for example, a front portion) of the vehicle body 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of convex terminals 4a having a columnar shape are formed at the tip of the charging connector 4. The convex terminal 4a is a portion that sends a large current supplied from a charging device (not shown) such as a charging station to the vehicle 1. A tubular protective cover 4b having a predetermined thickness is formed around the convex terminal 4a. The protective cover 4b has an opening on the tip side, and accommodates the convex terminal 4a inside in a state where the convex terminal 4a is exposed to the outside. A fitting hole 4c into which a lock pin 52 projecting downward from the actuator 10 is fitted is formed in the upper portion of the protective cover 4b. The fitting hole 4c is a portion forming a part of the lock mechanism 5.

As shown in FIG. 2, a substantially columnar concave terminal 3a in which a plurality of holes 3d are formed is formed at the tip of the power receiving connector 3. The concave terminal 3a is fitted to the convex terminal 4a of the charging connector 4, and is a portion that receives a large current supplied from a charging device (not shown) such as a charging station. A tubular protective cover 3b is formed around the concave terminal 3a to accommodate the concave terminal 3a inside. A gap 3c is formed between the concave terminal 3a and the protective cover 3b, and the protective cover 4b fits into the gap 3c when the concave terminal 3a and the convex terminal 4a are fitted (FIG. FIG. 1).

A flange 3e is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the protective cover 3b. The flange 3e mainly has a main body portion 3f, a front wall portion 3g, and side wall portions 3h and 3i.
The main body 3f is a plate-shaped member formed on the left side, the right side, and the lower side of the power receiving connector 3. A mounting means (not shown) is formed on the main body 3f, and the power receiving connector 3 is fixed to the charging port 2a via the main body 3f. Therefore, the front end side of the flange 3e is exposed in the charging port 2a, and the rear end side of the flange 3e is housed in the vehicle body 2.

The shapes of the front wall portion 3g and the side wall portions 3h and 3i correspond to the shape of the front portion of the actuator 10, and gaps S and S are formed between the front wall portion 3g and the side wall portions 3h and 3i, respectively. ing.
The front wall portion 3g is a rectangular plate material formed so as to extend upward from the protective cover 3b at a position in front of the main body portion 3f. The front wall portion 3g is formed parallel to the main body portion 3f.
The side wall portion 3h is a rectangular plate material formed so as to extend diagonally forward to the right from the end portion of the main body portion 3f, and the side wall portion 3i extends diagonally forward to the left from the end portion of the main body portion 3f. It is a rectangular plate material formed in the above.

The upper surface 3l on the rear side of the front wall portion 3g is lower than the upper surface on the front side of the front wall portion 3g. An insertion hole 3k connected to the gap 3c is formed on the upper surface 3l. By attaching the charging connector 4 to the power receiving connector 3, the insertion hole 3k of the power receiving connector 3 and the fitting hole 4c of the charging connector 4 communicate with each other. With the charging connector 4 attached to the power receiving connector 3, the lock pin 52 protruding downward from the actuator 10 is inserted into the insertion hole 3k.

Support portions 3s, 3t, and 3u for mounting the actuator 10 are formed on the upper surface of the power receiving connector 3 behind the flange 3e. The support portions 3s and 3t are formed with screw holes in the vertical direction, and the support portions 3u are formed with screw holes in the horizontal direction. The actuator 10 is fixed to the support portions 3s, 3t, 3u using screws 6.

The lock mechanism 5 shown in FIG. 2 is composed of an actuator 10 provided above the power receiving connector 3 and a fitting hole 4c formed in the charging connector 4. A lock pin 52 protruding downward from the actuator 10 is fitted in the fitting hole 4c.
The actuator 10 is a device that prevents the charging connector 4 from coming off when the charging connector 4 is attached to the power receiving connector 3. The actuator 10 mainly includes a housing 11 which is a resin box body, and a drive mechanism 12 (see FIG. 3) housed in the housing 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, a pair of support portions 13 and 13 projecting in the left-right direction are formed on the left and right side surfaces of the housing 11, and the lower surface on the right side of the housing 11 projects downward. The support portion 14 is formed. The support portions 13, 13 and 14 are parts for attaching the actuator 10 to the upper part of the power receiving connector 3 (see FIG. 1), and are fixed to the support portions 3s, 3t and 3u of the power receiving connector 3 using screws 6. ..

As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 11 mainly has a housing lower 20 having a space inside, and a housing upper 30 that closes the opening 20a of the housing lower 20. By combining the housing lower 20 and the housing upper 30, a housing space 11a is formed in the housing 11. The drive mechanism 12 is accommodated in the accommodation space 11a.

The housing lower 20 is a box-shaped member having an opening 20a formed on the upper surface thereof, and mainly has a flat plate-shaped bottom portion 21 and a peripheral wall portion 22 erected on the outer peripheral edge portion of the bottom portion 21. There is. The peripheral wall portion 22 is a frame surrounding the accommodation space 11a. The opening edge portion 23, which is the upper end edge portion of the peripheral wall portion 22, protrudes outward from the outer surface of the peripheral wall portion 22 in a flange shape, and a seal groove 24 is formed on the upper surface of the opening edge portion 23 over the entire circumference. Has been done. An adhesive material 11b such as hot melt is applied to the seal groove 24. The adhesive material 11b adheres the housing lower 20 and the housing upper 30 and prevents foreign matter from entering the accommodation space 11a from the outside.

As shown in FIG. 4, a pair of projecting portions 13a, 13a projecting outward from the peripheral wall portion 22 are formed on the left and right side surfaces of the housing lower 20. The pair of projecting portions 13a and 13a constitute support portions 13 and 13 (see FIG. 2) for attaching the actuator 10 to the power receiving connector 3 (see FIG. 1).

An insertion hole 21a through which the lock pin 52 of the detachment restricting member 50 is inserted is formed in the front portion of the bottom portion 21 of the housing lower 20. The peripheral edge portion 21b of the insertion hole 21a projects downward from other portions, and the O-ring 15 is attached by using the O-ring attachment 18. The O-ring 15 is attached to a stepped portion formed by the bottom portion 21 and the inner peripheral surface 21j. The O-ring attachment 18 is a metal member and has a main body plate portion 18a having a through hole 18b and formed in a ring shape, and four protrusions 18c rising from the outer edge of the main body plate portion 18a. The O-ring attachment 18 fixes the O-ring 15 to the bottom 21 of the housing lower 20 by engaging the protrusion 18c with the hole formed in the peripheral edge 21b.

A circular air hole 21c is formed in the rear portion of the bottom portion 21 of the housing lower 20. The position where the air hole 21c is formed is the lower side of the electric motor 40 (see FIG. 3), and communicates with the inside and outside of the housing 11. The air holes 21c are covered from the inside by a circular moisture-permeable waterproof material 16.
The moisture permeable waterproof material (filter) 16 is made of a material that allows the inflow and outflow of air while blocking the inflow and outflow of water, and can prevent water and dust from entering the air holes 21c from the external space. The moisture permeable waterproof material 16 is formed to have a diameter larger than that of the air hole 21c. The moisture-permeable waterproof material 16 is attached to the inner surface of the bottom portion 21 by an adhesive means such as double-sided tape.
In the present embodiment, the position where the air hole 21c is formed is determined so that the grease (lubricant) used in the drive mechanism 12 does not scatter in the air hole 21c and the moisture permeable waterproof material 16. Details of the position where the air hole 21c is formed will be described later.

An insertion hole 21e through which the dial 120 (see FIG. 3) is inserted is formed in the upper part of the right side surface of the housing lower 20. Around the insertion hole 21e, there is a recessed portion 21f that is recessed more than other portions, and an O-ring 17a (see FIG. 3) and a dial 120 are attached to the recessed portion 21f using a dial fixture 17b. The dial fixing tool 17b fixes the dial 120 to the drive transmission member 70 by engaging the tip portion with the drive transmission member 70 (see FIG. 3).

As shown in FIG. 4, an engaging protrusion 21g that engages with the housing upper 30 is formed at the rear portion of the right side surface of the housing lower 20. Although not shown, an engaging protrusion 21g is similarly formed on the rear portion of the left side surface of the housing lower 20. Further, a pair of engaging protrusions 21h and 21h that engage with the housing upper 30 are formed on the front surface of the housing lower 20. The engaging protrusions 21g and 21h are portions that engage with the housing upper 30.

As shown in FIG. 3, the housing upper 30 is a lid member for closing the opening 20a of the housing lower 20. The housing upper 30 has a flat ceiling portion 31, and the outer peripheral edge portion 32 of the ceiling portion 31 is formed in the same shape as the outer peripheral shape of the opening edge portion 23 of the housing lower 20. The outer peripheral edge portion 32 of the ceiling portion 31 is engaged with the opening edge portion 23 of the housing lower 20 and is adhered to the opening edge portion 23 by the adhesive material 11b. At this time, the adhesive material 11b provided on the opening edge portion 23 of the housing lower 20 seals the housing lower 20 and the housing upper 30 in a liquid-tight manner.

A pair of projecting portions 13b and 13b projecting outward from the outer peripheral edge portion 32 of the ceiling portion 31 are formed on the left and right sides of the housing upper 30. The pair of protrusions 13b, 13b constitute support portions 13, 13 (see FIG. 2) for attaching the actuator 10 to the power receiving connector 3 (see FIG. 1).
Further, a pair of front claw portions 33, 33 hanging from the outer peripheral edge portion 32 of the ceiling portion 31 are formed on the front surface of the housing upper 30. Further, on the left and right rear sides of the housing upper 30, a pair of rear claw portions 34, 34 hanging from the outer peripheral edge portion 32 of the ceiling portion 31 are formed. The housing lower 20 and the housing upper 30 are integrally connected by the rear claw portion 34 engaging with the engaging protrusion portion 21g and the front claw portion 33 engaging with the engaging protrusion portion 21h. Further, by releasing these engaged states, the housing lower 20 and the housing upper 30 can be separated from each other.

The drive mechanism 12 will be described with reference to FIG. The drive mechanism 12 mainly includes an electric motor 40, a detachment control member 50, a cam member 60, and drive transmission members 70 and 80. The detachment restricting member 50 is a member that moves up and down by the driving force of the electric motor 40. The cam member 60 has a cam gear 62 on which the first cam 63 is projected. The drive transmission members 70 and 80 are interposed between the output shaft 41 of the electric motor 40 and the cam gear 62.
Further, the drive mechanism 12 further includes a sensor 90, a substrate 100, a power supply unit 110, and a dial 120. The sensor 90 is a device that detects the position of the detachment control member 50. An electric motor 40 and a sensor 90 are electrically connected to the substrate 100. The power supply unit 110 is electrically connected to a control device (not shown) mounted on the vehicle 1 (see FIG. 1) to supply power to the substrate 100. The dial 120 is a member for manually driving the detachment control member 50.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the drive mechanism 12 is accommodated in the accommodation space 11a in the housing lower 20.

As shown in FIG. 6, the electric motor 40 has a motor housing 42, and the output shaft 41 projects to the right from the motor housing 42. A cylindrical gear 41a is fitted on the output shaft 41. The electric motor 40 is arranged at the rear center of the accommodation space 11a of the housing 11.

The drive transmission member 70 is a two-stage gear, and has a rotating shaft 71 whose axial direction is arranged in the left-right direction, a first gear 72 having the rotating shaft 71 as the central axis, and a second gear having the rotating shaft 71 as the central axis. It is equipped with two gears 73. The second gear 73 has a smaller diameter than the first gear 72. The rotary shaft 71 on the first gear 72 side (hereinafter, may be referred to as “rotary shaft 71b”) is compared with the rotary shaft 71 on the second gear 73 side (hereinafter, may be referred to as “rotary shaft 71a”). It has a large diameter, and an engaging recess 74 (see FIG. 3) is formed inside.

The drive transmission member 70 is arranged on the right side of the motor housing 42 in the accommodation space 11a. The rotating shaft 71a is rotatably supported by the central wall portion 25 formed by longitudinally traversing the inside of the housing lower 20, and the rotating shaft 71b is rotatably supported by the right side wall portion 26 of the housing lower 20. .. The space on the right side of the central wall portion 25 is filled with grease, and the space on the left side of the central wall portion 25 is not filled with grease. That is, the central wall portion 25 plays the role of a grease scattering prevention wall that prevents grease from entering the electric motor 40 side. The first gear 72 is meshed with the gear 41a of the electric motor 40, and the second gear 73 is meshed with the third gear 82 of the drive transmission member 80.

As shown in FIG. 3, the drive transmission member 80 is a two-stage gear, and has a rotary shaft 81 whose axial direction is arranged in the left-right direction, a third gear 82 centered on the rotary shaft 81, and a rotary shaft. It is provided with a fourth gear 83 having 81 as a central axis. The fourth gear 83 has a smaller diameter than the third gear 82.

As shown in FIG. 6, the drive transmission member 80 is arranged between the drive transmission member 70 and the cam member 60 in the accommodation space 11a. The left end of the rotating shaft 81 is rotatably supported by the central wall 25 formed in the housing lower 20, and the right end of the rotating shaft 81 is rotatably supported by the right wall 26 of the housing lower 20. .. The third gear 82 is meshed with the second gear 73 of the drive transmission member 70, and the fourth gear 83 is meshed with the cam gear 62 of the cam member 60.

The cam member 60 shown in FIG. 3 is a member for moving the detachment restricting member 50 in the vertical direction. The cam member 60 includes a rotating shaft 61 whose axial direction is arranged in the left-right direction, a cam gear 62 which is a spur gear centered on the rotating shaft 61, a first cam 63, and a second cam 64. There is. The first cam 63 is projected from the left side surface of the cam gear 62 and is eccentric with respect to the rotation center of the cam gear 62. The second cam 64 is formed on the tip side (left side) of the first cam 63 and is eccentric with respect to the rotation center of the cam gear 62. The cam member 60 may be formed by joining individual members, but is integrally formed in the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cam member 60 is arranged in front of the accommodation space 11a. The right end portion 61a of the rotating shaft 61 of the cam member 60 is rotatably supported by the right side wall portion 26 in the housing lower 20, and the central portion 61b of the rotating shaft 61 is the central wall portion 25 formed in the housing lower 20. It is rotatably supported. The left end portion 61c of the rotating shaft 61 is not supported by the left side wall portion 27 in the housing lower 20, and there is a gap between the left end portion 61c and the left side wall portion 27.

As shown in FIG. 7, the cam gear 62 has teeth formed in a region other than the lower portion on the outer peripheral surface.
The first cam 63 is a portion that comes into contact with the detachment restricting member 50 (see FIG. 3), and projects from the left side surface of the cam gear 62. The first cam 63 is formed in a substantially triangular outer peripheral shape in a side view, and one of the three corners of the first cam 63 is arranged on the rotation center of the cam gear 62. As described above, the center position 63a of the first cam 63 is eccentric with respect to the rotation center 62a of the cam gear 62. The first cam 63 is arranged in the cam accommodating frame 51 of the detachment restricting member 50 shown in FIG. In the cam member 60, the rotation angle of the cam gear 62 is set so that the first cam 63 reciprocates around the rotation center of the cam gear 62 within a range of less than one rotation.
The second cam 64 is formed so as to project radially from the rotating shaft 61 and be eccentric. The second cam 64 is a portion detected by the switch 91 of the sensor 90 shown in FIG.

Here, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in the present embodiment, the rotary shaft 61 of the cam member 60, the rotary shaft 71a of the drive transmission member 70, and the rotary shaft 81 of the drive transmission member 80 are all in the same plane. It is arranged in J (here, in a horizontal plane) and is arranged parallel to the left-right direction. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, these axes are a reference composed of a line segment in the insertion / removal direction of the charging connector 4 (here, front and back) and a line segment from the housing 11 to the power receiving connector 3 (here, up and down). It is arranged substantially perpendicular to the surface K. Here, substantially perpendicular to the reference plane K is intended to allow a certain deviation in arranging the axis perpendicular to the reference plane K, and is an angle (for example, within 30 °) on the horizontal plane. It is also possible to arrange each rotation axis (actuator 10) in a state of being tilted only by.

The detachment regulating member 50 shown in FIG. 3 is a member that prevents the charging connector 4 from being detached when the charging connector 4 is attached to the power receiving connector 3. The detachment restricting member 50 is arranged in front of the accommodation space 11a. The detachment restricting member 50 is a resin member and has a cam accommodating frame 51 in which openings 51a opened to the left and right are formed, and a lock pin 52 integrally formed with the cam accommodating frame 51. ..

As shown in FIG. 4, the cam accommodating frame 51 is an endless member constituting the frame of the side view rectangular opening 51a, and has an upper side portion 51b, a front side portion 51c, a bottom side portion 51d, and a rear portion. It consists of a side portion 51e. As shown in FIG. 5, the rotating shaft 61 of the cam member 60 is inserted into the cam accommodating frame 51, and the first cam 63 is inserted from the right side of the opening 51a. The inside of the upper side portion 51b and the bottom side portion 51d of the cam accommodating frame 51 is a cam receiving surface with which the cam surface of the first cam 63 abuts.

As shown in FIG. 6, a pair of guide grooves 25a and 28a are formed in the vertical direction on the central wall portion 25 and the front side wall portion 28 of the housing lower 20. With the front side portion 51c housed in the guide groove 28a and the rear side part 51e housed in the guide groove 25a, the detachment restricting member 50 becomes movable in the vertical direction along the guide grooves 25a and 28a. ing.
The detachment restricting member 50 is lifted by the cam surface of the first cam 63 coming into contact with the inside of the upper side portion 51b of the cam accommodating frame 51. Hereinafter, the state in which the detachment restricting member 50 is lifted is referred to as an "initial state", and the position of the detachment restricting member 50 in the initial state is referred to as an "initial position".
Further, when the cam surface of the first cam 63 comes into contact with the inside of the bottom side portion 51d of the cam accommodating frame 51, the detachment restricting member 50 is pushed down. Hereinafter, the state in which the withdrawal regulating member 50 is pushed down is referred to as a “regulated state”, and the position of the withdrawal regulating member 50 in the regulated state is referred to as a “regulated position”.

As shown in FIG. 4, the lock pin 52 is a shaft member having a circular cross section, and is formed so as to extend downward from the bottom side portion 51d of the cam accommodating frame 51. The lock pin 52 is arranged in the vertical direction in the axial direction, and the front end portion of the lock pin 52 is chamfered.
In the initial position, the tip of the lock pin 52 is retracted inward of the housing 11 and does not prevent the charging connector 4 from being detached. On the other hand, at the restricted position, the tip of the lock pin 52 projects outward from the insertion hole 21a formed in the housing lower 20 (projects downward of the housing lower 20).
At the restricted position, as shown in FIG. 1, the lock pin 52 is fitted into the fitting hole 4c formed in the charging connector 4 via the insertion hole 3k formed in the power receiving connector 3. As a result, the charging connector 4 is restricted from being detached from the power receiving connector 3.

The sensor 90 shown in FIG. 3 detects the position of the lock pin 52, and outputs the state of the switch 91 pushed by the second cam 64 of the cam member 60 and the state of the switch 91 to the control device as a detection signal or a release signal. It has a main body portion 92 to be used.

The substrate 100 shown in FIG. 3 controls the drive of the electric motor 40 and the sensor 90, and is electrically connected to the electric motor 40, the switch 91, and the power supply unit 110. The substrate 100 is arranged on the left rear side in the accommodation space 11a.

The power supply unit 110 shown in FIG. 3 supplies power to the substrate 100 and has a male connector 111. The male connector 111 is fitted into the fitting hole 21i formed in the rear left side of the housing lower 20 from below, and is connected to the female connector (not shown) of the substrate 100.

The dial 120 shown in FIG. 3 is attached to the engaging recess 74 of the drive transmission member 70 by using the dial fixture 17b. By rotating the dial 120, the detachment restricting member 50 can be moved in the vertical direction without the driving force of the electric motor 40. For example, if the electric motor 40 fails for some reason, the dial 120 can be rotated to move the detachment restricting member 50 from the restricted position to the initial position.

Next, the configurations around the drive transmission members 70 and 80 and the cam member 60 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 (see FIGS. 3 and 6 as appropriate).
As shown in FIG. 10, the peripheral wall portion 22 of the housing lower 20 vertically traverses the right side wall portion 26, the left side wall portion 27, the front side wall portion 28, the rear side wall portion 29, and the inside of the housing lower 20 in the front-rear direction. It mainly has a central wall portion 25 formed of the above. A receiving portion 25b, bearings 25c, 25d, 25e, and a guide groove 25a are mainly formed in the central wall portion 25.
Further, as shown in FIG. 11, a hanging wall portion 35 formed corresponding to the central wall portion 25 of the housing lower 20 is formed on the inner surface of the housing upper 30. The hanging wall portion 35 is formed upright on the inner surface of the housing upper 30. Convex portions 35b, 35c, 35d, 35e are mainly formed on the hanging wall portion 35.

When the housing upper 30 is assembled to the housing lower 20, the upper end of the central wall portion 25 and the lower end of the hanging wall portion 35 are in contact with each other, and the accommodation space 11a in the housing 11 is divided into a right space 210 and a left space 220. To do. The right space 210 constitutes a gear box in which the drive transmission member 70 and the like are arranged, and is filled with grease. On the other hand, the left space 220 is an area where the electric motor 40, the sensor 90, and the like are arranged, and is not filled with grease. That is, the central wall portion 25 and the hanging wall portion 35 play the role of a grease scattering prevention wall that prevents grease from entering the left space 220.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, a receiving portion 25b corresponding to the output shaft 41 of the electric motor 40 is formed on the central wall portion 25 of the housing lower 20. Further, the bottom 21 of the housing lower 20 is formed with a recess 21s recessed corresponding to the gear 41a of the electric motor 40.
Further, as shown in FIG. 11, the hanging wall portion 35 of the housing upper 30 is provided with a convex portion 35b provided at a position corresponding to the receiving portion 25b and presses the end portion of the electric motor 40.

As shown in FIG. 10, a bearing 25c corresponding to the rotation shaft 71a of the drive transmission member 70 is formed on the central wall portion 25 of the housing lower 20, and the drive transmission member 70 is formed on the right side wall portion 26. A bearing 26c corresponding to the rotating shaft 71b of the above is formed. Further, the bottom portion 21 of the housing lower 20 is formed with a recess 21t recessed corresponding to the first gear 72 of the drive transmission member 70.
Further, as shown in FIG. 11, the hanging wall portion 35 of the housing upper 30 is formed with a convex portion 35c for accommodating the rotation shaft 71a of the drive transmission member 70 in the bearing 25c in the bearing 25c. Further, the ceiling portion 31 of the housing upper 30 is formed with a convex portion 36c for accommodating the rotating shaft 71b in the bearing 26c. Further, the ceiling portion 31 is formed with a recess 31t recessed corresponding to the first gear 72 of the drive transmission member 70.

As shown in FIG. 10, a bearing 25d corresponding to the rotation shaft 81 of the drive transmission member 80 is formed on the central wall portion 25 of the housing lower 20, and the drive transmission member 80 is formed on the right side wall portion 26. A bearing 26d corresponding to the rotating shaft 81 of the above is formed. Further, the bottom portion 21 of the housing lower 20 is formed with a recess 21u recessed corresponding to the third gear 82 of the drive transmission member 80.
Further, as shown in FIG. 11, the hanging wall portion 35 of the housing upper 30 is formed with a convex portion 35d for accommodating the rotating shaft 81 of the drive transmission member 80 in the bearing 25d. Further, the ceiling portion 31 of the housing upper 30 is formed with a convex portion 36d for accommodating the rotating shaft 81 in the bearing 26d. Further, the ceiling portion 31 is formed with a recess 31u recessed corresponding to the third gear 82 of the drive transmission member 80.

As shown in FIG. 10, a pair of guide grooves 25a and 28a for guiding the cam accommodating frame 51 of the detachment restricting member 50 are formed in the central wall portion 25 and the front side wall portion 28 of the housing lower 20. Further, a bearing 25e corresponding to the rotating shaft 61 of the cam member 60 is formed on the central wall portion 25 of the housing lower 20, and a bearing 26e corresponding to the rotating shaft 61 is formed on the right side wall portion 26. It is formed. Further, the bottom portion 21 of the housing lower 20 is formed with a recess 21v recessed corresponding to the cam gear 62 of the cam member 60.
Further, as shown in FIG. 11, the ceiling portion 31 of the housing upper 30 is formed with convex portions 35e and 36e for accommodating the rotating shaft 61 of the cam member 60 in the bearings 25e and 26e. Further, the ceiling portion 31 is formed with a recess 31v recessed corresponding to the cam gear 62 of the cam member 60.

Next, the configuration around the electric motor 40 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 10 to 13 (see FIGS. 3 and 6 as appropriate).
The motor housing 42 of the electric motor 40 is isolated from other configurations of the drive mechanism 12 in a state where the electric motor 40 is assembled to the housing 11. That is, the housing 11 has a structure (“motor box” in the claims) that isolates the motor housing 42 from other configurations of the drive mechanism 12.

Specifically, the motor housing 42 includes the rear side wall portion 29 of the housing lower 20 shown in FIG. 10, the central wall portion 25, the front partition wall portion 45 and the left partition wall portion 46, and the hanging of the housing upper 30 shown in FIG. The front, back, left and right are surrounded by the wall portion 35 and the left partition wall portion 47. These members surrounding the front, rear, left, and right of the motor housing 42 are "peripheral wall portions" within the scope of the claims. Further, the upper portion of the motor housing 42 is covered by the ceiling portion 31 of the housing upper 30, and the lower portion of the motor housing 42 is covered by the bottom portion 21 of the housing lower 20.

The front partition wall portion 45 of the housing lower 20 is a rectangular plate material formed so as to extend upward from the bottom portion 21 and separates the electric motor 40 and the sensor 90.
The left partition wall portion 46 of the housing lower 20 is a member formed so as to extend upward from the bottom portion 21, and a recess 46b is formed corresponding to the shape of the motor housing 42 of the electric motor 40. The left partition wall 46 separates the electric motor 40 from the male connector 111.
The left partition wall portion 47 of the housing upper 30 is a member formed extending downward from the ceiling portion 31 and abuts on the motor housing 42 of the electric motor 40 to form a recess 46b of the left partition wall portion 46. The electric motor 40 is housed.

As shown in FIG. 12, the bottom portion 21l on which the electric motor 40 is arranged is formed with a recess 21 m having a circular shape in a plan view. Further, in the central portion of the recess 21m, a circular air hole 21c that communicates with the inside and outside of the housing 11 is formed. The air holes 21c are for suppressing an increase in air pressure in the housing 11 due to heat generated by the electric motor 40 and the substrate 100 (see FIG. 3). Further, the air holes 21c are covered from the inside by a circular moisture-permeable waterproof material 16. The moisture-permeable waterproof material 16 is made of a material that allows the inflow and outflow of air while blocking the inflow and outflow of water, and can prevent water and dust from entering the air holes 21c from the external space. The moisture-permeable waterproof material 16 has a size and a thickness that can be accommodated in the recess 21 m. As shown in FIG. 13, the electric motor 40 and the moisture-permeable waterproof material 16 are assembled to the housing 11. A gap is formed between 16 and 16. The moisture permeable waterproof material 16 is attached in the recess 21 m by an adhesive means such as double-sided tape.

Here, in the present embodiment, the assembling direction of the electric motor 40 with respect to the housing lower 20 (direction from top to bottom) and the direction in which the air holes 21c are formed (vertical direction) coincide with each other. Therefore, the electric motor 40 and the moisture-permeable waterproof material 16 can be assembled to the housing lower 20 from the same direction, so that the assembling property is improved.
Further, the bottom portion 21l on which the electric motor 40 is arranged does not have a structure that hinders the assembly of the moisture permeable waterproof material 16 to the housing lower 20. Therefore, it is easy to assemble the moisture permeable waterproof material 16.

Further, in the present embodiment, the assembling direction (vertical direction) of the housing lower 20 and the housing upper 30 and the direction in which the air hole 21c is formed (vertical direction) coincide with each other. Therefore, since the air holes 21c are formed in the mold clamping / demolding direction of the molding mold, which is the assembly direction of the housing 11, it is not necessary to have a complicated structure such as a slide core, and the molding mold structure of the housing 11 can be formed. It's easy.

<Operation of the actuator of this embodiment>
Next, the operation of the actuator 10 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 (see other drawings as appropriate). FIG. 5 shows the initial state of the actuator 10.

<Regulatory operation>
When the charging connector 4 is inserted into the power receiving connector 3 in the initial state shown in FIG. 5, the control unit of the vehicle 1 (see FIG. 1) (not shown) is energized, and the drive signal (positive) of the electric motor 40 is transmitted from the control unit to the substrate 100. Rotation: Rotate clockwise) is output. When the gear 41a of the electric motor 40 rotates clockwise (clockwise) when viewed from the left side of the actuator 10 (the same applies hereinafter), the driving force is transmitted to the cam gear 62 via the drive transmission members 70 and 80, and the cam gear 62 moves to the left. Rotate clockwise (counterclockwise). When the cam gear 62 rotates counterclockwise (counterclockwise), the first cam 63 rotates and moves, and when the cam gear 62 rotates by a predetermined angle, the first cam 63 is placed on the inner peripheral surface of the cam accommodating frame 51 (see FIG. 3). Upon contact, the first cam 63 pushes the cam accommodating frame 51 downward. As a result, the lock pin 52 (see FIG. 3) advances downward, and the amount of protrusion of the lock pin 52 with respect to the housing 11 increases.

When the switch 91 of the sensor 90 is pushed by the second cam 64 of the cam member 60 when the lock pin 52 moves downward, a detection signal is output from the sensor 90 to the substrate 100, and the detection signal is the detection signal of the vehicle 1. It is also output to the control unit. Charging of the vehicle 1 is started by using this output as a trigger.
When the rotation of the output shaft 41 of the electric motor 40 is stopped, as shown in FIG. 1, the lock pin 52 has a fitting hole formed in the charging connector 4 via an insertion hole 3k formed in the power receiving connector 3. Fits into 4c. As a result, the lock pin 52 regulates the disconnection of the charging connector 4 from the power receiving connector 3 (regulated state). Then, after the control unit of the vehicle 1 detects the advancement of the lock pin 52, charging from the charging device (not shown) to the storage battery (not shown) is started.

In the present embodiment, the lock pin 52 is configured to protrude downward from the housing lower 20, but the present invention is not limited to this. The lock pin 52 of the detachment restricting member 50 may be oriented forward or backward or upward, and an insertion hole corresponding to the housing lower 20 and the housing upper 30 may be provided so that the lock pin 52 can be, for example, front and rear. It may be formed so as to project in a direction (direction toward or away from the charging connector 4) or upward.

<Regulation release operation>
When charging is stopped or completed, a drive signal (reverse rotation: counterclockwise rotation) of the electric motor 40 is output from the control unit of the vehicle 1 (see FIG. 1) to the substrate 100. In the regulated state shown in FIG. 1, when the gear 41a of the electric motor 40 is rotated counterclockwise, the driving force is transmitted to the cam gear 62 via the drive transmission members 70 and 80, and the cam gear 62 is rotated clockwise (counterclockwise). Rotate clockwise). When the cam gear 62 rotates clockwise (clockwise), the first cam 63 rotates and moves by a predetermined angle, and the first cam 63 hits the inner peripheral surface of the cam accommodating frame 51 (see FIG. 3). In contact with each other, the first cam 63 pushes up the cam accommodating frame 51 upward. As a result, the lock pin 52 (see FIG. 3) retracts upward, and the amount of protrusion of the lock pin 52 with respect to the housing 11 is reduced.

When the lock pin 52 moves upward and the pressing of the switch 91 of the sensor 90 by the second cam 64 of the cam member 60 is released, the release signal is output from the sensor 90 to the substrate 100. The substrate 100 stops the rotation of the output shaft 41 of the electric motor 40 after rotating the output shaft 41 of the electric motor 40 a predetermined number of times (after a predetermined time has elapsed). When the rotation of the output shaft 41 of the electric motor 40 is stopped, the lock pin 52 is located at an initial position that does not prevent the charging connector 4 from being detached. As a result, the lock pin 52 releases the restriction on disconnection of the charging connector 4 from the power receiving connector 3 (initial state), and the user can pull out the charging connector 4 from the power receiving connector 3.

The case where the charging connector 4 is forcibly pulled out from the power receiving connector 3 by the user in the regulated state shown in FIG. 8 will be described.
If the charging connector 4 is forcibly pulled out from the power receiving connector 3 in the regulated state, the lock pin 52 may be broken from the root. If the lock pin 52 is broken from the root, the broken pieces of the lock pin 52 may be caught in the insertion hole 3k of the power receiving connector 3 and the fitting hole 4c of the charging connector 4, and the charging connector 4 may not come off.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the lock pin 52 is configured to be broken at the tip end side in the above case. Specifically, when the charging connector 4 is forcibly pulled out from the power receiving connector 3, the lock pin 52 abuts on the fitting hole 4c of the charging connector 4 and is pushed and bent, and the lock pin 52 and the O-ring attachment 18 The bending stress is maximized at the part where the connector abuts. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, when the charging connector 4 is pulled out with a force equal to or higher than a predetermined value, the lock pin 52 breaks below the O-ring attachment 18.

The broken piece 52a of the lock pin 52 is discharged to the outside in a state of being accommodated in the fitting hole 4c of the charging connector 4. As a result, when the charging connector 4 is forcibly pulled out from the power receiving connector 3 by the user, the broken piece 52a of the lock pin 52 stays in the insertion hole 3k of the power receiving connector 3 and the charging connector 4 cannot be pulled out. You can prevent the situation. By appropriately setting the mounting position (height position) of the O-ring mounting tool 18, the position where the lock pin 52 breaks can be adjusted. In other words, the mounting position (height position) of the O-ring mounting tool 18 is appropriately set so that the broken pieces 52a of the lock pin 52 are discharged to the outside.

<Forced release operation>
The actuator 10 of the present embodiment manually moves the lock pin 52 to the initial position when the regulated state (see FIG. 1) continues even after the charging is completed for some reason (for example, a failure of the electric motor 40). be able to.
In such a case, the user manually rotates the dial 120 shown in FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrow (clockwise) shown on the housing upper 30. The driving force for turning the dial 120 is transmitted to the cam gear 62 via the drive transmission members 70 and 80, and the cam gear 62 rotates clockwise (clockwise). When the cam gear 62 rotates clockwise (clockwise), the first cam 63 rotates and moves by a predetermined angle, and the first cam 63 hits the inner peripheral surface of the cam accommodating frame 51 (see FIG. 3). In contact with each other, the first cam 63 pushes up the cam accommodating frame 51 upward. As a result, the lock pin 52 can be accommodated in the housing lower 20 without the driving force of the electric motor 40.

According to the present embodiment described above, the air holes 21c are formed in the member surrounding the electric motor 40. Therefore, grease (lubricant) does not scatter on the air holes 21c and the moisture permeable waterproof material 16 even if a labyrinth shape or the like is not separately provided. As a result, the size of the actuator 10 can be reduced as compared with the conventional one, and the structure can be simplified.

Further, according to the present embodiment, an air hole 21c is formed in the bottom portion 21 of the housing lower 20.
As a result, the air warmed by the electric motor 40 can be quickly discharged to the outside, so that the heat dissipation effect of the electric motor 40 is improved.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the air holes 21c are formed in the assembling direction of the electric motor 40.
As a result, the electric motor 40 and the moisture-permeable waterproof material 16 can be assembled to the housing 11 from the same direction, so that the assembling property is improved.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the housing 11 is composed of the housing lower 20 and the housing upper 30, and the air holes 21c are formed in the assembling direction of the housing lower 20 and the housing upper 30.
As a result, the air holes 21c are formed in the mold clamping / removing direction of the molding mold, which is the assembling direction of the housing 11, so that the structure of the molding mold of the housing 11 can be simplified. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the molding die.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, the power receiving connector 3 shown in FIG. 1 may have its axis inclined with respect to the horizontal plane so as to be lowered from the tip side toward the inside of the vehicle depending on the position where the charging port 2a is installed. In that case, the actuator 10 is attached to the vehicle 1 in a state where the rear side is tilted downward with respect to the horizontal plane, similarly to the power receiving connector 3.

Further, in the present embodiment, the air holes 21c are formed in the bottom portion 21l of the housing lower 20, but the air holes 21c are provided in other members (excluding the members that play the role of the grease scattering prevention wall) surrounding the electric motor 40. It may be formed. For example, air holes 21c may be formed in the ceiling portion 31 and the rear side wall portion 29 of the housing upper 30 so that the motor box and the outside communicate with each other.

1 Vehicle 2 Body 2a Charging port 3 Power receiving connector 3a Concave terminal 3b Protective cover 3c Gap 3k Insertion hole 4 Charging connector 4a Convex terminal 4b Protective cover 4c Fitting hole 5 Lock mechanism 10 Actuator 11 Housing 12 Drive mechanism 16 Moisture permeable and waterproof Material (filter)
20 Housing lower 21 Bottom (motor box)
25 Central wall (scattering prevention wall)
30 Housing upper 31 Ceiling (motor box)
35 Hanging wall (scattering prevention wall)
40 Electric motor 50 Detachment regulation member 51 Cam accommodation frame 52 Lock pin 60 Cam member 62 Cam gear 63 First cam 64 Second cam 70,80 Drive transmission member 90 Sensor 100 Board K Reference plane

Claims (3)

An actuator including a drive mechanism including a drive transmission member including an electric motor and gears, and a housing for accommodating the drive mechanism.
The housing includes a bottom portion, a ceiling portion, a peripheral wall portion that surrounds the bottom portion and the ceiling portion in the circumferential direction, a central wall that separates the electric motor and the drive transmission member, and a motor box that houses the electric motor. A gearbox that houses the drive transmission member and is filled with a lubricant.
The motor box is configured to include a part of the central wall, a part of the peripheral wall portion of the housing, a part of the ceiling portion, and a part of the bottom portion on one side of the central wall. And
The gear box is configured to include the central wall, a part of the peripheral wall portion of the housing, a part of the ceiling portion, and a part of the bottom portion on the other side of the central wall.
The central wall serves as a scattering prevention wall for preventing the lubricant from scattering on the electric motor.
The air holes formed in the motor box include a filter that covers the air holes, and are formed in any of the ceiling portion of the housing corresponding to the motor box, the bottom portion of the housing, and the peripheral wall portion of the housing. actuator, characterized in that is. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the air holes are formed in the assembly direction of the electric motor. The housing comprises a lower housing lower and an upper housing upper.
The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the air holes are formed in a direction in which the housing lower and the housing upper are assembled.

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